The Philadelphia Post The Bashing at Brandywine September 12, 1777 The thunder near Philadelphia From what could be heard yesterday it sounded as if there was a huge thunderstorm very close to our beautiful city, yet not a storm cloud could be seen. Was the good lord pulling a trick on us, or was General Washington fighting a decisive battle to defend our fair city? By midnight we knew the full extent of what had occurred, and many felt despair… The British were coming to Philadelphia. The British leave New York Sir William Howe was becoming frustrated by his efforts and lack of success at capturing George Washington. The British general had not been able to capture Washington or his continental army, and what’s more is that Washington was able to win the battles of Trenton and Princeton, and push Howe’s forces out of New Jersey and back to New York. Since his fortune wasn’t as favorable in New Jersey, he decided to launch an attack on Pennsylvania, and then move on Philadelphia. Using the Fleet of his brother, Admiral Sir Richard Howe, to sail out of New Jersey from Sandy Hook to the Delaware River to threaten the American Capital, however Howe’s intelligence told him that patriots had made obstructions up the Delaware. So instead he and his forces landed in the Chesapeake Bay in a part known as the Head of Elk in Maryland. While this area was shallow and muddy not where one would disembark for attack, Howe’s forces were the ones in horrible shape. They spent 34 days on ships and most of the regulars were seasick, and the horses could barely stand, let alone could either of the aforementioned march. Until they were eight miles from shore the Patriots had no idea where the British would land and so their landing went unhindered. From here the British marched, along with their Cannons, supply wagons, and wagons for wounded or dead, for 17 days toward a town known as Kennett Square a short distance for Brandywine Creek. During this march Howe had decided his battle strategy… The Americans Prepare for battle While the Continental army may have not known where the British would land, they knew they would land and were prepared to fight the British. When the patriots knew that without a doubt the British were landing, General Washington moved the Continental Army and the militias into a defensive position around Brandywine creek. The main ford across the creek, Chadd's ford, was where Washington had decided to put the bulk of his forces, while the rest of his troops took up positions at the other fords. Washington’s command post was in the Birmingham meeting house, which was used as a church. Washington believed that all of the British would make a full frontal assault on Washington’s forces, since he thought he had secured men at all the fords. However he was mistaken in his thoughts that he had covered all the fords, because his horsemen patrols and scouts failed to mention them… Key People in the Battle American George Washington- General in command of the Continental army Nathanael Greene- Major General and leader of one of the units in battle British William Howe- Commander of British forces in the colonies Wilhelm von Knyphausen- Lieutenant general to Howe; Hessian leader Earl Charles Cornwallis - Lieutenant general to Howe; later takes over for him Battle Strategies American The American plan was to defend the fords to Brandywine Creek, and try to deny the British passage into Philadelphia. The American’s used horsemen to scour the countryside for British movement. But the first line of defense was the American scouts waiting in a tavern in Kennett Square for the British. They hoped also that with the height advantage the cannons could fire down on British forces. During the last stages of the battle the American tried to hold their ground on both fronts of the battlefield, the British however won the day and thanks to the coming of nightfall didn’t chase the Americans any further than where they camped, Dilworth. And so the Continental army was able to survive. British The British plan was simple and something that Howe was used to doing to Washington: flanking. The army would be split in two; one half under Knyphausen would head straight to Chadd’s ford and wait for the flank attack to begin before his force would charge. Meanwhile using tory scouts who had found one ford that none of the American Scouts had found: Jeffries’ ford. From here they would flank around the American right flank. Battle Miscues Both general had mistakes that could have cost them dearly. Washington had too many varying and misleading reports on troop movement across the creek, and somewhat bad officers leading the flanking counterattack. On the other end of the spectrum Howe, like in other battles, was too cautious and gave his troops too much rest when he should have pressed his advantage. Battlefield units Americans Wayne’s Pennsylvania Brigade
Weeden’s Virginia Brigade
Muhlenburg’s Virginia Brigade
Proctor’s Artillery
Delaware Regiment
Hazen’s Canadian Regiment
Maxwell’s Light Infantry
Colonel Bland’s 1st Dragoons
Pennsylvania Militia
De Borre’s Brigade
Stephen’s Division
Stirling’s Division
16th Light Dragoons later the 16th/5th Lancers and now the Queen’s Royal Lancers
Two Composite battalions of grenadiers
Two Composite battalions of light infantry
Two Composite battalions of Foot Guards (1st, 2nd and 3rd Guards)
4th Foot later the King’s Royal Regiment and now the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment
5th Foot later Northumberland Fusiliers and now the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
10th Foot later the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment and now the Royal Anglican Regiment
15th Foot later the East Yorkshire Regiment and now the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire
17th Foot later the Royal Leicestershire Regiment and now the Royal Anglican Regiment
23rd Foot, the Royal Welch Fusiliers
27th Foot later the Inniskilling Fusiliers and now the Royal Irish Regiment
28th Foot later the Gloucestershire Regiment and now the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
33rd Foot now the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment
37th Foot later the Hampshire Regiment and now the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment
40th Foot later the South Lancashire Regiment and now the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment
The Bashing at Brandywine
September 12, 1777
The thunder near Philadelphia
From what could be heard yesterday it sounded as if there was a huge thunderstorm very close to our beautiful city, yet not a storm cloud could be seen. Was the good lord pulling a trick on us, or was General Washington fighting a decisive battle to defend our fair city? By midnight we knew the full extent of what had occurred, and many felt despair… The British were coming to Philadelphia.
The British leave New York
Sir William Howe was becoming frustrated by his efforts and lack of success at capturing George Washington. The British general had not been able to capture Washington or his continental army, and what’s more is that Washington was able to win the battles of Trenton and Princeton, and push Howe’s forces out of New Jersey and back to New York. Since his fortune wasn’t as favorable in New Jersey, he decided to launch an attack on Pennsylvania, and then move on Philadelphia. Using the Fleet of his brother, Admiral Sir Richard Howe, to sail out of New Jersey from Sandy Hook to the Delaware River to threaten the American Capital, however Howe’s intelligence told him that patriots had made obstructions up the Delaware. So instead he and his forces landed in the Chesapeake Bay in a part known as the Head of Elk in Maryland. While this area was shallow and muddy not where one would disembark for attack, Howe’s forces were the ones in horrible shape. They spent 34 days on ships and most of the regulars were seasick, and the horses could barely stand, let alone could either of the aforementioned march. Until they were eight miles from shore the Patriots had no idea where the British would land and so their landing went unhindered. From here the British marched, along with their Cannons, supply wagons, and wagons for wounded or dead, for 17 days toward a town known as Kennett Square a short distance for Brandywine Creek. During this march Howe had decided his battle strategy…
The Americans Prepare for battle
While the Continental army may have not known where the British would land, they knew they would land and were prepared to fight the British. When the patriots knew that without a doubt the British were landing, General Washington moved the Continental Army and the militias into a defensive position around Brandywine creek. The main ford across the creek, Chadd's ford, was where Washington had decided to put the bulk of his forces, while the rest of his troops took up positions at the other fords. Washington’s command post was in the Birmingham meeting house, which was used as a church. Washington believed that all of the British would make a full frontal assault on Washington’s forces, since he thought he had secured men at all the fords. However he was mistaken in his thoughts that he had covered all the fords, because his horsemen patrols and scouts failed to mention them…
Key People in the Battle
American
George Washington- General in command of the Continental army
Nathanael Greene- Major General and leader of one of the units in battle
British
William Howe- Commander of British forces in the colonies
Wilhelm von Knyphausen- Lieutenant general to Howe; Hessian leader
Earl Charles Cornwallis - Lieutenant general to Howe; later takes over for him
Battle Strategies
American
The American plan was to defend the fords to Brandywine Creek, and try to deny the British passage into Philadelphia. The American’s used horsemen to scour the countryside for British movement. But the first line of defense was the American scouts waiting in a tavern in Kennett Square for the British. They hoped also that with the height advantage the cannons could fire down on British forces. During the last stages of the battle the American tried to hold their ground on both fronts of the battlefield, the British however won the day and thanks to the coming of nightfall didn’t chase the Americans any further than where they camped, Dilworth. And so the Continental army was able to survive.
British
The British plan was simple and something that Howe was used to doing to Washington: flanking. The army would be split in two; one half under Knyphausen would head straight to Chadd’s ford and wait for the flank attack to begin before his force would charge. Meanwhile using tory scouts who had found one ford that none of the American Scouts had found: Jeffries’ ford. From here they would flank around the American right flank.
Battle Miscues
Both general had mistakes that could have cost them dearly. Washington had too many varying and misleading reports on troop movement across the creek, and somewhat bad officers leading the flanking counterattack. On the other end of the spectrum Howe, like in other battles, was too cautious and gave his troops too much rest when he should have pressed his advantage.
Battlefield units
Americans
Wayne’s Pennsylvania Brigade
Weeden’s Virginia Brigade
Muhlenburg’s Virginia Brigade
Proctor’s Artillery
Delaware Regiment
Hazen’s Canadian Regiment
Maxwell’s Light Infantry
Colonel Bland’s 1st Dragoons
Pennsylvania Militia
De Borre’s Brigade
Stephen’s Division
Stirling’s Division
British
Two Composite battalions of grenadiers
Two Composite battalions of light infantry
Two Composite battalions of Foot Guards (1st, 2nd and 3rd Guards)
4th Foot later the King’s Royal Regiment and now the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment
5th Foot later Northumberland Fusiliers and now the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
10th Foot later the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment and now the Royal Anglican Regiment
15th Foot later the East Yorkshire Regiment and now the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire
17th Foot later the Royal Leicestershire Regiment and now the Royal Anglican Regiment
23rd Foot, the Royal Welch Fusiliers
27th Foot later the Inniskilling Fusiliers and now the Royal Irish Regiment
28th Foot later the Gloucestershire Regiment and now the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
33rd Foot now the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment
37th Foot later the Hampshire Regiment and now the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment
40th Foot later the South Lancashire Regiment and now the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment
46th Foot later the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and now the Light Infantry
49th Foot later the Royal Berkshire Regiment and now the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
55th Foot later the Border Regiment and now the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment
64th Foot later the North Staffordshire Regiment and now the Staffordshire Regiment
Three battalions of Fraser’s Highlanders, the 71st Foot.
Ferguson's riflemen
Queen's Rangers
Hessians
Force size/ Casualties
The number of troops varies in accounts, not just between American and British, but also in the armies. The amount of soldiers seems to be within the 12,000 range for both sides. It is the same with casualties, accounts vary. But Americans lost about 1,000 while the British lost near 500.
Results:
British take Philadelphia unopposed
Washington in his defeat had to let the city be taken by British soldiers unopposed. However morale in the army was generally high, because although the British won, it was hard fought down to the wire and the Americans knew they would come out on top.
British command changed
While Howe may have taken the captial of America, British high command didn’t like his style of leadership and replaced him with Cornwallis.
Questions:
1. Overall how much time did the British Regularsspend on the move?
2. Which ford did the Americans miss?
3. What was the Continental first line of defense?
Sources:
http://darter.ocps.net/classroom/revolution/brandyw.htm
http://www.wtj.com/articles/brandywine/
http://www.ushistory.org/March/Phila/brandywine_2.htm
http://www.chaddsfordhistory.org/history/battle.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/10966/data/germ.shtml
http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/ppet/brandywine/page1.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Brandywine
http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/served/greene.html
http://www.britishbattles.com/brandywine.htm
light dragoonunit
infantry attack
Teacher tube clip
-Matt Finkle